Wringer



Dec. 1, 1931 R STEELSMH'H 1,834,226

WRINGER Filed April 24, 1928 2 Sheets-She 1 Ax I16 2/ 1&1 [7/06 2220 z' 5y A arrzeys.

Dec. 1, 1931. F. R. STEELSMIITH 1,834,226

WRINGER Filed April 1928 2 Sheets-Shem 2 5y y wform yj.

Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK B. STEELSMITH, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

WIRING-ER Application filed April 24, 1928. Serial No. 272,389.

, swung to an open position to provide a considerable space between the rollers.

A further object is to provide in a wringer of that type having upper and lower frame members, each of which is provided with a wringer roll adapted to coact with each other, improved means whereby the upper frame member will be yieldably supported relative to the lower frame member, and provided with means whereby the tension may be easily and instantly released.

A further object is to provide, in that type 25of a wringer having upper and lower frame members designed to support coacting wringer rolls and provided with means for pivotally connecting the frame members together, improved means for locking the frame members together under tension, and for instantly releasing the tension when so desired.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects con templated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved wringer.

Figure 2 is a plan view of same.

Figure 3 illustrates the inner end of my im roved wringer.

e 4 isa detail sectional view taken on the hue 4-4 of Figure 1; and M Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

My improved wringer comprises a lower frame member 10 and an upper frame member 11, each of said frame members being designed to support a wringer roll 12. Said wrlnger rolls are rotatively mounted in the frame members by means of suitable bearings 13, of any desired type.

The lower frame 10 is provided with a bottom 14 in the form of a plate having oppositely arranged inclined members to form a drain to carry water from the rollers 10 to eitherside of the wringer frame.

The bottom 14 is provided with side members 15 in which the bearings 13 are supported. The outer faces of the side members15 are provided with spring barrels 16, each of which is open at its lower end. The upper end of each of the barrels is provided with a head 18 having an opening19. A tension rod is slidably supported in each of the openings 19 and has its upper end provided with a loop portion 21, and its lower end contracted and provided with a threaded portion 22. The loop portion 21 extends abo e the head 18, while the lower end of the rod 20 extends within the barrel and is designed to receive a compression spring 23.

The upper end of said spring rests against the head 18 and the lower end against a nut 24 mounted on a screw threaded portion 22.

The upper frame member 11 is provided with laterally projecting hinge members 24 designed to be supported adj acentto the loop portions 21 of the tension rods 20. Each of the hinge members 24 is provided with a pivot member 25 extending through the opening of the loop 21. A washer 26 is provided on the outer end of the pivot, and a pin 27 is provided for securing the washer and the loop portion in position on said pivot members. Said pivot members are rigidly supported in the hinge members.

By this arrangement it will be seen that the member 11 is hinged to the upper ends of the tension rods 20, said frame member being adapted to swing from the position shown by solid lines to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 3. Y

Shoulders 28 are provided on the side members 15 for limitin the swingingmove nt of said frame. Said shoulders are so lose that when the frame member 11 is to its open position, it will rest in the said open position on account of the center of gravity of the frame member being at one side of a vertical plane through the tension rods. The shoulders are also so formed that if the frame member is swung rapidly to its open position,

then the shoulders 28 form a fulcrum for sup- The opposite side of the frame member 11 is provided with a pair of latch arms 29, having on the upper surface of their outer ends cam faces 30, which terminate in notches or recesses 31. The arms 29 are designed to be supported above the upper edge of the side members 15.

Pivotally mounted in the side members 15 is a shaft 32 having one end bent upwardly at 33, which terminates in an inwardly extending portion 34 designed to rest in one of the recesses 31 when the frame member 11 is in its closed position. of the shaft 32 is provided with a lever 35 rigidly secured to said shaft by means of a pin 36. The lever 35 is provided with an inwardly extending lug 37 for entering the other one of the recesses 31.

The shaft 32 and the members 33, 34, 35 and 37 form what I shall term the latching device.

By this arrangement it will be seen that if the upper end of the lever 35 were oscillated, the shaft 32 will be rocked, which in turn will cause the members 34 and 37 to make contact with, or disengage, the cam faces 30, thereby providing means whereby the frame 11 may be locked in its closed position with the rollers 12 in contact with each other and under compression.

It will readily be seen that as the arm 35 is swung inwardly, the members 34 and 37 may be made to engage the cams 30 and force the latch arms 29 downwardly. This will cause the rollers 12 to be placed under slight compression and at the same time the tension rods 20 slightly elevated, at which time the ivots of the upper roller 12 act as a fulcrum or the end members of the u per frame, which consists of thearms 20 an the hinge members 24.

The tension on the. wringer rolls may be instantly released by simply swinging the upper end of the lever 35 outwardly and the frame 11 thrown to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 3 by the recoil of the spring 23. This is accomplished by providing what I shall term fulcrum members or lugs 38 on the upper edge of the members 15, and coacting shoulders 39 on the lower edge of the hinge members 24. Said shoul- The opposite end ders are in engagement when the frame 11 is in its closed osition, at which time the loop portions 21 ofthe rods 20 are elevated a slight distance above the head 18 so that a space is provided.

It will readily be seen that when the members 34 and 37 disengage the cam faces of the latch arms, the tension of the springs will force the outer ends of the hinge members 24 downwardly, the members 38 and 39 acting as a fulcrum whereby the frame-member 11 will be elevated and thrown to the. dotted line position shown in Figure 3, with the loop portions 21 resting on the head 18.

When closing the frame member 11, the hinge members will swing on the pivots 25, and when partly closed,the shoulders 38 and 39 will make contact with each other, at which time they perform the function of a fulcrum, causing the loop portions 21ito be elevated, after which the rollers 12 will make contact with each other. The lever 35 may then be swung inwardly, causing the lugs 34 and 37 to engage the cam faces of the arms 29 and the said rollers placed under tension, and at the same time slightly lifting the shoulders 39 from the shoulders 38, after which the rollers are supported under compression, due to the tension of the springs 23.

In the operation of the device, if clothes are fed between the rollers 12, then the rollers will be forced apart and the hinge members 24 elevated against the tension of the springs 23, the-nut 24 being slidably mounted in the barrel 16. It will be seen that the pivot members 25 will move upwardly in a straight line, which will cause the upper end of the latching device to swing inwardly a slight distance. The members 34 and 37 act as pivots for the frame 11 at such times when the material is being fed between the rollers.

A reversible drain board 40 of the usual type is provided.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a wringer of very compact form, which is neat in appearance and of very simple construction, and provided with means whereby the wringer rolls are free to move toward and from each other under suitable tension, which may be varied by means of the nuts 24, and also provided with means whereby the tension on the rollers may be instantly released, and also means whereby the said rollers may be automatically and instantly separated, thus providing means whereby clothes that may become wrapped about one of therollers may be easily and quickly removed, and also means whereby the rollers may be released in case the operatorshould get her fingers caught between the rollers.

A bracket 41 is provided for supporting the wringer to a washing machine frame.

I claim as my invention 1. A wringer comprising in combination a lower frame having upright rods slidably mounted therein, an upper frame above the first frame, means for pivotally connecting one side of the upper frame to the up er ends of said slidable rods, a sprin on eac of said rods for yieldably sup ortmg the rods in their lowered position 0 movement, the free side of said upper frame having laterally projectin latch arms, a roller mounted in each of sai frames, a rock shaft rotatively mounted in the lower frame, each end of said rock shaft being provided with an upwardly extending am having lu designed to engage said latch arms where y an inward swinging movement of the upper end of the last said arms would cause said lugs to engage the free ends of said latch arms and the same to be moved downwardly causing said rollers to be placed under compresion through the tension ofsaid springs. O c

2. A wringer comprising in combination upper and lower frame members, means for yie dably pivoting one side of the u per frame member to the corres ding si e of the lower frame member, t efree side of said upper frame member having laterally projectin arms, a roller rotatively mounted in each o said frames, a rock shaft rotatively mounted in the lower frame, each end of said rock shaft being provided with an upwardly extending arm having lugs designed to engage said latch arms whereby an inward swinging movement of the up r end of the last said arms would cause said ugs to engage the free ends of said latch arms and the same to be moved downwardly causing said rollers to be placed under compression through the tension of said yieldable means. FRANK R. STEELSMITH. 

